


Aftermath

by ErisHDiscordia, The_Inheritor



Series: The Legend of Zelda: The Eternal Chain - Act 1 [9]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Gen, Link got his ass kicked, The Heroes are STILL worried about their dad., Twilight saved him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28934280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErisHDiscordia/pseuds/ErisHDiscordia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Inheritor/pseuds/The_Inheritor
Summary: Link wakes up after being pummeled by miniature devil pigs...and the story progresses (...sort of.)
Relationships: Ganondorf & oc, The Heroes of Hyrule, Twilight & Wild (Linked Universe)
Series: The Legend of Zelda: The Eternal Chain - Act 1 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769323
Kudos: 10





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> We're getting pretty close to the conclusion of this Act. Hopefully all can be tied together in some sort of...resolution. Before we move onto the next parts of the story, which will likely shift perspectives to one of the other characters entirely.
> 
> Apologies for the large gaps between these as of late. Life has been busy busy.
> 
> See you all in the next one. Thanks for the reads.

**09\. AFTERMATH**

Link stirs with a groan, his head slowly turning on soft grass. His neck was the first thing to complain, followed by pretty much all the rest of him. Opening his eyes, he's assaulted by the light from a fire. For a second he worries that he'd lost it again and set fire to half of a forest, but thankfully it only turns out to be just a campfire...one he doesn't remember lighting or setting up.

He would move right now, but he just couldn't muster the strength to....just what the hell had happened? How did he end up here? Where even  ** was ** here?

Taking a deep breath, and not ignorant to the pains that this causes in his ribs, he manages to just about sit up, his arms trembling from the strain. Once he's upright, he pulls them around to his front, only to gasp when he sees himself. His chest was covered in bruises and lacerations. Some of which had been bandaged up. 

Closing his eyes he does his best to remember what the hell had gotten him to where he was, but he just couldn't. He remembers having to literally pull himself free of Sidon before he left the Domain. That's followed by a few foggy memories of walking, though those could be from other occasions he'd made the journey.

His destination was Kakariko Village. As much as Zelda had told him to take the time he needed, there was an overall part of him that didn't want to leave his station too long. Especially with...him...hanging around. A grunt bubbles its way out as he thinks of Ganondorf. No matter how hard he had tried, at the Princess' request to see him in a different light, he failed. He'd read about the Gerudo Royal Lineage before. The daughters were alright. The sons were seldom a force for good in Hyrule.

He wouldn't feel comfortable if he ended up leaving Zelda in his charge for to long. Sure he hadn't requested he be her escort whilst he was away, but he was sure as shit itself that he would have stepped up to the station. Right now he had to summon the strength to get up and get back there...

Glancing around the makeshift camp he finds his clothes and satchel sitting against an overturned log, along with the Master Sword. Whatever had happened, he'd either been rescued by someone who was no longer present, or he'd somehow managed to get out of his predicament and make it back here to do this...

...yeah right. He was good, but he wasn't THAT good.

...

After some hours of just sitting there, long enough for the sun to start rising in the distance behind the hills, he finally manages to get up on his feet. The first few steps were difficult, his balance was moving in several directions, and after a stumble which almost lands him on top of the campfire, he finds his feet.

Amongst his items he finds a strange note, a piece of white parchment with some writing scribbled hastily on the front of it.

_"...Head south to the base of the Great Plateau._ _A friend will be waiting for you there. Make sure you follow him."_

"Wha-" Link stares at the parchment, turning his hand to see the back of it. There he was a crudely drawn smiley face and the words.  _ "Bokoblins, huh? Nice work, Cub." _ "Cub? What the-"

Suddenly a bark occurs behind him, one that scares him out of his skin. He clambers forwards, grabbing the Master Sword and pulling it from it's sheathe. He turns, ready to make battle with whatever had appeared, only to see a very familiar canine staring at him.

"Oh it's you..." he let's out a deflating sigh, the Master Sword falling to the ground. "...dammit, don't scare me like that!"

Another bark as he sits down on the overturned log, his head dropping into his hands. It's followed by a nuzzling against his left arm, and when he lowers his hands he can't help but smile.

"And people say puppy-eyes aren't a real thing." he mutters as he reaches up and pets it behind the ears. "So...you got any idea how I got here?"

There's a mixture of a whine and a growl, which could mean anything really. Link just nods his head slowly. "Yeah...me neither. Maybe I'm just VERY good."

The wolf drops it's head from his hand and picks up the piece of parchment paper in it's mouth. It's deposited onto his left knee. Picking it up again, Link rolls his neck back and forth, several cracks and pops occurring. "...the Great Plateau, huh? I haven't been back there since...well...since I woke up to this mess."

He looks up suddenly, at nothing in particular. "I wonder if there are any secrets up there that I missed."

There's only a vacant stare to that, at which point he snorts. "Okay...I'll check it out. But not now. I need to get back to Zelda and the others."

...

"...so is spying on me just for fun, or are you genuinely worried that I might be up to something?" Time asks suddenly whilst everyone was gathered around the campfire, eating some fish that had been caught by Sky and Wind earlier that day. 

All chatter that had been occurring before ceases the instant he says that, many sets of eyes suddenly turning his way...the most guilty of which are Warriors.

"You needn't worry." the Old Man gestures with his hand, silencing the other Hero before he speaks. "I was simply looking around the old place...reliving some memories."

"Like he believes that." Legend is quick to snipe from the sidelines. "The way you've been talking lately, about....what were they?"

"Nexus." Wind supplies.

"Nexus, Yeah!" Legend gestures with his hand towards their leader. "The way you've been going on about them and that-"

"-Convergence." Hyrule adds.

"-convergence...thanks...is totally normal." Legend tilts his head, eyebrows raised quizzically.

Time's eyes narrow slightly. He then sighs and sits forwards. "Look...there are many things on my mind right now. First and foremost, getting you boys settled here, that's followed by the downfall of the Calamity, the current stability of this timeline compared to the others we've traveled through, the state of the continuum and established events, the possibility of alternates-"

"-alternates?" Warriors asks. "What?"

"-...alternate versions of us." Time says vaguely before continuing. "Couple that with the Nexus business Legend already brought up...and the issues with the impending Convergence, and I'm pretty stocked up with things to do..."

"Is this your nice and fatherly way of telling us to mind our own business?" Four asks, letting out a belch and quickly covering his mouth. "...sorry."

"You are more than welcome to question me on these matters." Time says, and just as Legend is about to make a predictable comment about transparency, he raises his hand. "...and I am well within my own right to give as vague answers as I see fit."

"Why though?" Warriors asks next, seeming to catch him slightly. "What are you doing that we don't need to know?"

"Every time we pass through a timeline, there are an uncountable number of things that I do..." Time explains. "All of which none of you are any the wiser too. I suggest that you all try to forget about this, as it will resolve itself, hopefully, very soon."

"Twilight knows about this." Warriors observes. 

"And he knows little more than you do..." Time shrugs. "Look. I get it. You're curious...perhaps even worried about what's going on."

"That's an understatement." Hyrule rolls his eyes, nudging Legend with his elbow. "This one won't shut up about it at night."

"...but I can assure you." Time glances around the group. "That all will become clear very soon. And I advise you not to worry about it unless I give you good reason to....alright?"

He looks around the group, seeing most of them accept his request. Even Legend seems to concede to that quick enough. Warriors and Sky however remain slightly...defiant...to put it bluntly.

"I just hope whatever you have planned." Sky speaks up to his right. "...that you're being careful."

"Believe it or not, we do care about you." Legend comments. "Even me."

Time let's out a rushed snort. "...you sound like my children."

"What?" a collective gasp comes from Warriors and most of the others. Time just stares at them all.

"...I was talking about you..." he makes a general gesture to everyone. "You all sound like my children."

He laughs out loud as a collective sigh of relief, and perhaps disappointment on Legend's part occurs.

...

"You have lineage leading back to the Pre-Calamity days?"

Arol seems to startle out of his mental machinations, looking over his shoulder to see Ganondorf approaching. He tilts his head for a second before speaking. "Pardon my observations, but aren't you the Gerudo Prince?"

"The what?" Ganondorf let's out a loud laugh, the first genuine one he'd had in a very long time. "Are you kidding? Me? Royalty?"

"But you're a Male Gerudo." Arol gestures to him. "I don't know if you have heard, but that's quite rare around these parts."

"Oh it's rarer than a green Zora." Ganondorf nods his head. "But just because I am one, does not mean I am royalty."

"Then might I ask what you are?"

"Already getting into the mantle of Guard's Captain huh?"

"I-" Arol's eyes widen some. "-What?"

"She wants you to help with the gathering of volunteers, in exchange you will be given permission to take up the mantle your great grandfather once held." Ganondorf explains through a sigh. "She's also assigned me to help you in that regard, as much as it irks me."

"Why would it irk you?" Arol regards him carefully. "Do I annoy you?"

"No." Ganondorf replies blankly. "I don't know you nearly enough to make that assessment. What concerns me is leaving the Princess behind here without someone to watch over her."

"The Champion." Arol says next, nodding slowly. "Wasn't he with you when you arrived?"

Ganondorf doesn't respond verbally, he just nods slowly.

"Then I assume he will take your place whilst we see to the Princess' instructions."

"He's not here right now." Ganondorf shakes his head. "She sent him away."

Arol thinks on that for a second. "Then I'll stay."

Ganondorf raises an eyebrow. "What?"

"Until we can assure that someone will be here to see to her personal security, I will stay." Arol decides. "Besides, I'm sure there may be a few potential volunteers in Kakariko. I can look around until the Champion returns."

"Huh." Ganondorf nods again, smirking. "Good Call."

...


End file.
